


Coffee & a Good Book

by DominusFero



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Big Gay Love Story, Bisexual Male Character, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Co-workers, Daniel is such a damn diva ISTG, Demisexuality, Dinner, Dirty Thoughts, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Boyfriends, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Fluff and Humor, Food, Friends to Lovers, Gay Male Character, Gentle Kissing, Gift Work, Jealousy, Kevin come get yo' man, Kissing, Love Confessions, Lunch date, M/M, Movie Night, Pansexual Character, Pining, Pride, Rollerblades & Rollerskates, Shopping Malls, Some Humor, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Workplace Relationship, workplace shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26486563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominusFero/pseuds/DominusFero
Summary: David and Jasper have worked at the Barnes & Noble at the Conifer Park Outlet for two years. Jasper has been crushing on David since Day 1 and it seems as though David hasn't ever caught on. However, things may change and Jasper is willing to do whatever it takes to finally spill his guts to David.
Relationships: Daniel & David & Gwen & Jasper (Camp Camp), Daniel/Dirty Kevin (Camp Camp), David/Jasper (Camp Camp)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 23





	1. Coffee & a Good Book

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ellohcee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellohcee/gifts).



Coffee and a good book. Drowning oneself in tales of splendor, whimsy or woe while curled up with a steaming latte or macchiato seemed befitting for those soft-spoken. At the very least, that was the norm for the crowd that frequented the Barnes & Noble within the Conifer Park Outlet.

Frazzled college students on their fourth caffeine and muffin-fueled bender tapped hurriedly at their keys amid the individual groupings of young, giggly teenage girls satisfying their matcha latte fix. Boyfriends pretended to hide their longful gazes at the gaming section while their girlfriends, often quite literally, dragged them off in whatever direction they so choose. The older patrons were often found alone in their aisles of choice, perusing the shelves with a delicate hand as to not disturb the painstakingly alphabetized rows of literary majesty.

The unspoken rules of the realm were obeyed without question by all patrons, veteran and new:

_Don’t leave garbage on any table or on the floor in any section. Try your best to return any unwanted books to the proper spot, else simply the proper shelf. Be kind to the workers, they work hard to make this place enjoyable. Attempt any recommendation that comes your way, you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Don’t flirt with the baristas, they’re not into you. And always say, “please” and “thank you”._

*************

Fridays were “New Arrivals Day”, an arbitrary celebration of sorts that the store drummed up as the ultimate reason to wet one’s pants with excitement. Recent publishings came in, older books were cycled out to either be discounted or shipped back to the warehouse. It was an all-day stocking event that required pounds upon pounds of books to be neatly organized and displayed throughout the store.

And, like most responsibilities, this honor fell to David Greenwood.

Now, David had no qualms with this order. Sometimes he found himself briefly flicking through the latest adventure or terribly engrossed in the newest romance. He was weak for romance in all forms, that much his coworkers knew. No one ever bothered him about it. A good book is a good book, no matter your preference. And, as a dedicated and hardworking employee, he overcame his distractions and completed the task without so much as a single hiccup.

Fridays were also “Half-Priced Pastry Day”, another disproportionately celebrated marketing scheme created for the sake of generating a profit. What customers didn’t know, or the craftily clever ones could infer, was that the purpose of the sale was to dispose of week-old food under the guise of a deal. Most never batted an eye, not even the baristas despite knowing of their superiors’ tricks. But that never stops them from joking about it.

“Swear t’ God,” one of them began through a mouthful of cheese danish, “dish shif id loaded wif-” he swallowed what he had in his mouth, “a ton of fucking preservatives. It doesn’t even taste old. Just...disappointing.”

One of his coworkers, a tall brunette with lavender eyes, cackled with laughter as she scraped wet grounds into the wastebin.

“Jasper, you find everything disappointing.”

“I do not!”

“Just this morning, when you found out we weren’t serving the cheesecake bars, you literally humphed and said, “My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined,” another barista replied from down in front of the pastry display. “It’s your go-to phrase.”

“Oh, whatever, Daniel,” Jasper huffed, wadding up the napkin he had been using to hold his danish. Popping the rest of it into his mouth, he tossed the napkin in Daniel’s direction, where it bounced off the side of his head. “Fubkin’ kilkjoy.”

Rather than retaliate, Daniel simply scooped up the napkin and shoved it into his apron pocket. He was the more reserved one out of his coworkers, especially when he was focused on a task. Hardly anything bothered him, at least, when he was within earshot of customers.

The trio went about their business, the two behind the counter meandering about and idly chatting as they worked. Being preoccupied with menial tasks can become quite dull, even if you are surrounded by friends. Thankfully, a reprieve from the dreadful boringness of work came in the form of a familiar, cheerful face.

“H-Hey, guys, how’s your day going?” David asked of his friends as he gingerly approached.

“It suuuuuuucks-!” “Pretty good.” “About the same as usual.”

David chuckled at their responses. He always asked and they always replied in the same manner: on top of one another. But that was what he liked about the baristas. Their entire dynamic was a drastic shift from the mouseyness of his librarian peers. They laughed, they joked, they brought life to their little corner cafe. Plus, they gave him free pastries!

“Well, it’s good to hear you all are in high spirits today!”

“And what about you, hun? Having fun stacking all those books by yourself?” Gwen asked as she wrapped up a couple slices of pumpkin bread in brown parchment paper. She slipped them into a paper bag along with a packet of dipped madeleines.

“Oh, it’s-its…” David nervously looked over his shoulder. Seeing no one that could possibly get him into trouble, he leaned on the counter. “Can I tell you guys a secret?”

“God, yes!” Gwen exclaimed happily just as Jasper set David’s cinnamon-caramel macchiato on the countertop. Even Daniel paused his task, which he so rarely did.

"I could barely focus today, I didn't even finish the front display! I'm just sooooo excited for Sunday!" David exclaimed, cheeks flushed a deep rose with excitement.

"Oh? What's Sunday?" Jasper asked.

"The store is having a Pride-palooza sale!" David happily revealed as he took a sip of his coffee. "Tomorrow, we're going to set up banners, posters and put all the LGBTQIA+ books on sale! We even get to wear our Pride colors to work!" He bounced on the balls of his feet. "I can't wait to wear my pin and special vest!"

"That sounds nice. I should wear my Bisexuality pin, and that dope ass tee I got from Carly's." Jasper hummed in amusement. "Hey, Danny, you gonna dye your hair rainbow again?"

"Like I tell you every year, that was for the official Pride celebration and I only do so because Kevin knows his way around a dye kit." Daniel replied in a snooty tone, closing the lid to the display case. "Although," he mused as he got to his feet, "he doesn't have to work at the pharmacy on Sunday...I _could_ ask him if he'd like to come."

"You really should, it'd be good for you to loosen up." Gwen suggested as she disinfected the countertop with a damp cloth. "I'll have to dig through my old cosplay chest and find my flag."

"I didn't know Monster Fucker had a flag," Jasper snorted, earning himself a punch in the arm from Gwen.

"You asshole." She laughed, snapping her rag at his waist.

"You guys, be nice!" David begged of them despite knowing it was all in good fun. Management could be prowling around and he really did not want to see his friends get in trouble for goofing off.

Suddenly, Jasper lunged at his coworker, making her shriek in surprise. Gwen twisted away from his groping hands, refusing to let him steal her whip. The two howled with laughter while David watched helplessly from the other side of the counter. Leaning against the pastry display, Daniel could only shake his head. His coworkers could be such boneheaded goons.

After a good tug of war, Jasper snatched the cleaning rag from Gwen and began snapping it at her. Gwen feebly swatted at Jasper as she threatened to shove a can of Reddi-Whip where the sun never shines.

As he observed his friends' horseplay, Daniel's smug expression dropped into one of fear.

" **Manager**."

"Wha-ow! Fuck, Jasper!"

"Manager!" Daniel urged, immediately snatching up the box next to his feet. He shut the lid to the pastry display and quickly turned the corner. Jasper hurriedly tossed the rag at Gwen, who caught it, and turned his attention to the flavored creamer dispensers. Gwen took the rag and began using it to wipe off the cash register.

David dipped his head, pretending to look over his purchase as he waited for the coffee store manager to pass by.

Ten tense seconds passed before Jasper uttered, "Coast is clear." Following the upper management scare, David decided it was time to head out.

"Alright, guys, I'm going to go. I'll see you all later."

"Okay, seeya, hun." "Later, bro." Daniel said nothing but he gave David a quick smile and a wave before ducking into the storage room.

David waved back, taking his treats and heading off towards the lounge area in the bookstore.

"It's kind of cute how excited he gets over little things." Gwen noted as she emptied out the crumb tray of the toaster oven. "I'd kill to have that amount of happiness."

"Mm, yeah…" Jasper sighed, staring off in the direction David left. With his hand pushing down on the switch, the creamer kept flowing from the tap. It was beginning to run down the sides of the capsule.

"Jasper, the creamer." Jasper jolted as he was yanked from a daydream and shoved head first into reality.

"Ah, shit!"

*************

At five, Daniel hung up his apron on the leftmost peg in the janitorial closet. He smoothed out the forest green fabric, emptying the front pocket of all his "illegal" tips. Tips were supposed to be factored into the overall pay but Daniel was smarter than his employer believed. When he was handed a tip directly, in his rear pocket it went until he could move it to his apron at the end of his shift.

Quietly, he slipped his earnings into his wallet. With great care as to not tear his shirt, he unclipped his nametag from the breast pocket of his lavender polo. He then dropped it into the front pocket of his apron.

"You're leaving me?" A tired, vaguely annoyed voice interrupted the quiet. A quick glance to the right revealed Gwen leaning against the doorframe. Her arms were crossed but not in a confrontational manner. She looked almost...disappointed.

"Sorry, love, but I have someone waiting for me at home." Daniel responded softly with a smile as he tossed his black peacoat over his shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll grace you with the gift of my presence on Sunday."

"You're off tomorrow?" Daniel nodded. "Well, fuck. What am I supposed to do, then?"

"Work instead of writing erotic fiction?" Daniel teased as he walked past her. Gwen gasped in fake shock, feigning hurt. Her outburst caught Jasper's attention, causing him to look up from his phone. Gwen started to walk after Daniel but stopped short of the espresso machine. She then countered with a devilish truth.

"Oh, don't pretend you haven't read any of it!" She called after him as he made his way down the café steps.

"Sorry, can't hear you!" Daniel yelled over his shoulder as he headed towards the exit.

When he was out of sight, Gwen scoffed and returned to her post.

"Dick." She chuckled, taking her own phone out to resume reading her latest fanfiction obsession.

"What was that all about?" Jasper asked, mildly curious.

"Prick is ditching us tomorrow." Gwen answered without looking up from her screen. By no means was she angry, she loved teasing both men. She simply told things as she saw it.

"You mean I gotta open with your crusty ass?" Jasper questioned incredulously. Smacking her phone on the counter with a loud clack, Gwen leveled a steely glare at her coworker. "Kidding, kidding!" He held up his hands defensively.

"You're lucky I like you enough to let you live."

"You love me."

"Do I now?" 

Jasper opened his mouth to respond but his words stalled midstream.

Just over center displays, he could see David facing a wall of shelves with a book in hand, reaching for the top shelf. From a distance, he appeared to be floating. He must have been standing on a footstool. His sweater was riding up his torso a little, exposing a small portion of his back.

"Quit staring at his ass, you look thirsty as fuck."

"I-!" Jasper stammered, making a garbled choking sound of bewilderment. "I-I was **_not_ ** staring at his ass!!"

"Suuuuure you weren't." Gwen drawled as she flicked at her screen with her thumb. "You're too obvious. Just ask him out already, damn. You've been pining after him for, what, two years?"

"I have not!" Jasper practically shouted, his voice cracking in frustration. "And besides, what if he's not into guys?" Gwen deadpanned at him. "What?! It's possible! Geez, Gwen, you can't just assume he's gay. He could be AroAce for all we know."

"Well, I guess we'll see on Sunday."

"Uhh-"

"And you better make a move or I'll do it for you."

"I-mm, ah-" Defeated, Jasper let out a heavy sigh. Gwen had always been intuitive when it came to relationships; reading and writing a plethora of fanfiction helped to refine her abilities.

"You can always come cry on my couch if he rejects you."

"Gwen!" Jasper screeched, exasperated. Feeling personally attacked, he threw his hands up. "I'm taking my last fifteen!" Yanking his apron over his head, Jasper carelessly tossed it into the closet and stormed off.

Not really caring about where he ended up, Jasper wandered about the back of the bookstore until he ended up in the Children's section. Huffing, he plopped down in a blue beanbag chair and crossed his arms.

God, Gwen could be such a bitch sometimes. He was **not** pining after David! Sure, he had a nice smile. Sure, his eyes lit up like the sun when he got excited. The way he makes those little whines when he gets nervous or feels uncomfortable, it was too cute sometimes! And sure, the way he combed his hair out of his eyes with his hands was kind of hot. But that did not mean he was crushing on him! David was just nice to look at, that was all. He had a nice face, speckled with tons of little brown freckles and a tiny pink nose that crinkled every time he laughed. He had amazing jade colored eyes that were always filled with joy. And while he was a lovely height, David had a too-lean build that made Jasper question whether or not the rumor of the redhead living off of sunshine and perpetual happiness was true. But there were times when all Jasper could do was daydream about being spooned in those lanky arms. All he wanted was to be held tightly in a warm embrace as they lay in bed together. The golden rays of an early morning sun would peek through the parted curtains, filling the room with an ethereal glow. Their hands would be intertwined and Jasper would press a kiss to each of David's knuckles. David would tighten his hold, lean in and say-

"Golly, Jasper, you alright? You have this distant look in your eye."

"Huh? O-Oh, D-David! Hey! Um, yeah, no, I was just thinking about...stuff." Jasper scrambled to speak, having been caught in the midst of a very unprofessional thought. "Yeah, future stuff."

"Oh? What kind of future stuff?"

"Uhh, oh, nothing important! Just, just how mad I am at Gwen right now." David gasped and set his books back down on the rolling cart he had brought with him.

"What did she do?"

"She keeps fucking teasing me about some bullshit theory of hers!" David's face paled at the sound of curse words. "S-sorry, I forgot you hate swears. A-anyway, no, she keeps assuming things about me and I hate it! Like, I get she thinks she knows what she's talking about, and she might but still! Don't tell me how I feel!"

"I'm sorry." David offered as he took a seat on the green beanbag next to Jasper. "But maybe she doesn't mean it in a bad way and doesn't know it's bothering you."

"Oh, she knows."

"Oh."

There was an awkward silence as neither of them spoke. David was too dumbfounded to say much else and Jasper was a bit too irritated to provide any other input.

"...What was it she said?"

"Huh?"

"You just seem so upset. Maybe, if I talk to her, I can convince her to stop. I know you guys tease each other but this seems like there's more to it."

"No, David, please don't. It wasn't...isn't anything you should worry about."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Another tense silence filled the air. David contemplated whether or not to say anything else, twiddling his thumbs in thought. Jasper rarely became emotional over, well, _anything_ but this time was different. It made the wheels in the redhead's mind turn. How could he help? As Jasper's best friend, he had to think of something. Pondering potential choices, David ultimately made his decision.

"...Would you like to go get a soft pretzel with me?"

"Huh?" Jasper questioned, having been distracted and fuming within his own mind.

"Do you want to go get a pretzel with me?" David repeated. Jasper's face flushed in realization but David hardly noticed. "Maybe stepping away will take your mind off of what's bothering you."

"Oh, um-"

"I-If you want to!" David quickly interjected. "You don't have to."

Jasper's thought process grinded to a screeching halt. David was joking, right? Because it sounded like he was asking him out on a date. Well, not a _date_ date but-

Shit, he was staring at him! Waiting for an answer, probably because he had more important things to do and this was more of a pity thing and _why is it so hard to talk to him?!_

"...Jasper?"

"Yes!" _Shit, that was_ **_way_ ** _too enthusiastic._ "I mean, yes, yeah, pretzels sound dope."

"Oh, good! Well, let's go before your break is over!" David hopped up off of the beanbag he was sitting on. He then offered his hand to Jasper, so he could help him up.

Internally panicking, Jasper merely stared at David's hand because _holy shit, he's offering me his hand! Should I take it? Is it too obvious?_

"Well, come on, Jasper!"

"Right, right!" Excited, Jasper let David help him to his feet. He waited for David to drop his hand but instead found himself being led out of the Children's section. Again, Jasper's brain began misfiring as he short-circuited from the overwhelming amount of emotions flooding his head.

David was holding his hand. David was **willingly** holding his hand. David was taking him to get pretzels. David was taking him to get pretzels **and** holding his hand!

God, he sounded like a giddy middler who just got asked out by their crush. Normally, he would be mortified but today he could care less because he was on a date with David! Well, unofficially but in his mind, it was their first date. And Jasper was doubly determined to make the best unofficial first date ever.

*************

Uncle Augie's Super Pretzels was located a few shops south of the bookstore. It usually only took five minutes on a slow day to get there and back. Even though it was not a long walk, Jasper was more than certain his allotted break time was up by the time they reached the shop. Usually, Jasper would be worried over how his boss would kill him if he went too far over the limit. But in this moment, Jasper could give less of a fuck about work. He had made up his mind to throw caution to the wind because David was more important than minimum wage. And he really, really wanted a jumbo pretzel.

Fortunately, there was no line and the lone employee was just taking out freshly baked pretzels. What luck! 

Jasper went to place their order but David spoke faster than Jasper could even move. Huh. Interesting to know. He even blocked him from paying, too, which made Jasper reconsider whether or not David really did mean for this to be a date. 

When he received his pretzel, Jasper happened to look over and see David delicately dipping his pretzel in a little cup of melted cheese. He was trying so hard to eat it as carefully as possible, bite by bite. Absolutely adorable. Seizing an opportunity, Jasper pounced.

"You like cheese on your pretzel, too?"

"Of course!" David happily exclaimed. He ripped off another small piece and dunked it in the orange goo. He then popped the little treat into his mouth with a wide smile. "It's the best!" He spoke through a small mouthful of heavenly delight. "Savory cheese with a nice salty pretzel? Delicious!"

"I feel that." Jasper replied, pouring some of his cheese over his pretzel. He then took a huge bite out of the top. "What about cheese and fries?"

"You kidding? I love it!" Jasper smiled, enjoying their banter. It was nice to discover some of David's likes. "Ooh, what about ketchup on eggs?"

"I prefer hot sauce, actually.” Jasper mused as he took another bite of his pretzel. His mind drew a blank on potential questions so he began to awkwardly shift his weight on his feet. “Hey, David?”

“Yeah, Jasper?”

“Umm…” Well, shit. He had set himself up without even having had anything worth talking about. And now all of David’s attention was on him. “Do you-um, did you...did you want to walk back?”

“Oh! Sure!” David smiled as he took another bite.

Having no reason to linger at Uncle Augie's after finishing their snacks, the two began their short trip back to their workplace. Unfortunately for Jasper, David did not hold his hand this time. He was admittedly disappointed however he chalked it up to David wanting to hurry back to work. But rationalizing the situation did not keep Jasper from having emotionally intrusive thoughts.

 _There's no way he didn't intentionally hold my hand. Who platonically does that, besides parents with their kids? And he paid for me. He paid for me_ **_and_ ** _ordered for me! Who does that unless it's a date?! Maybe he likes me, too. Or maybe he's setting me up for some sort of crushing rejection later. No...no, David wouldn't do that-...would he?_

Drowning in his own personal thoughts, Jasper barely noticed David opening the doors to the bookstore. He barely felt himself walking through the entrance and he hardly heard David talking to him. He would have kept walking had it not been for David taking him by the shoulder and holding him in place.

"Hey, Jasper, are you sure you're alright? You kinda fazed out."

"Ah-yeah, sorry, I, uhm, was lost in thought." Jasper replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. David pinched his lips together in a thin line, not too certain if he was buying the act but then his smile immediately returned.

"Oh, okay! You must be super smart if you're always super deep in thought at all the time!"

"Ah, no, trust me, I'm not." Jasper chuckled, blushing at the compliment. "But thank you."

"Ooh, before you go back to work, can I ask you something?" Jasper perked up, his darker blush lightening up to a dusty rose color.

"Sure?" He answered nervously.

"Would you like to have lunch together tomorrow? I really enjoyed our talk today." David asked shyly, a light rose spreading across his freckled cheeks. Jasper nearly melted into a puddle on the spot. Were they going on an official date?

"Sounds like a plan!" Jasper said with genuine enthusiasm. Things were moving along so well! Two years and he could finally spend time with David and not be around his coworkers. "Oh, when do you work? I open, so I'll be here seven to three."

"Golly, that's long. I'm working eight to two."

"Would you like to go somewhere? Get something other than soft pretzels and squeezy cheese?" David laughed but not unkindly. He then took a moment to ponder Jasper's question.

"Hmm...maybe that nice restaurant on Birchfield Avenue? What's it called…The Tiramisu Warehouse?"

Oh, it was most definitely a date. Nobody just goes to The Tiramisu Warehouse for a simple lunch. Not at a place that serves you complimentary baked bread in a dinky wire basket.

"Ooh, fancy! And this time, it's _my_ treat."

"It's a date!" David grinned, oozing that lovely sunshiny energy he seemingly thrived on. "Well, I gotta go, see you later, Jasper!" David waved goodbye as he headed off towards the Children's section, presumably to pick up where he left off. Jasper lifted his hand but did not make as large of a waving motion.

"Seeya, David!"

**Wait.**

Did he just say, "it's a date?"

Oh. Oh, boy.

*************

"So, how'd your makeout sesh go?" Gwen asked, not looking up from her phone as she continued to scroll through her current fanfiction. Jasper gave her a confused look and somehow, she received a mental signal telling her to look up. "Oh, I totally didn't see you two leave and come back together."

"We didn't make out." Jasper stated firmly, glaring at her. But then those squirrely feelings of giddiness came back and he was smiling like a goon all over again. "But I think he totally asked me out."

Gwen gaped at Jasper in disbelief.

"No." Jasper nodded aggressively, that same stupid smile plastered on his face. "No way. For real?" Her violet eyes were alight with excitement. For the first time all day, she set her phone to the side. This was do much better than her ABO Vampire/Werewolf smut fic.

"We're going to The Tiramisu Warehouse tomorrow for lunch!"

"Oh, fancy~!" She sang, all smiles. "Ooh, you have to tell me, did he try to kiss you or anything? Maybe grab some ass? Give a little pinch?" She teased playfully though she was genuinely interested.

"Oh, God, no!" Jasper scrunched his face up in disgust. Of course if David had tried any of that, he certainly would not have complained. "No, nothing like that. Geez, that probably won't ever happen. David's too...not like that, guy's 24 and doesn't even swear." A devilish grin spread across Jasper's face. "He **did** hold my hand."

"Nice, nice. A good start." Gwen nodded approvingly. Not that she would ever tell Jasper to his face but she had really hoped he and David clicked. Honestly, she shipped them and had even started a fanfic of them. Of course, that was a secret she would take to her grave.

"I didn't leave you to dry, did I? I know I was gone a lot longer than fifteen minutes."

"Oh, no. Nobody showed up that I couldn't handle." Gwen waved off Jasper's inquiry nonchalantly. "Just a few drinks and some pastries for a couple college kids working on papers. Not a big deal. Normally, I'd be mad as hell but since you ditched me for David, well, I let it slide."

"Heh, thanks Gwen."

"No problem." A faint click signaled her unlocking her phone. No doubt she would be back to scrolling through her X-rated story and ignoring anyone else who came to the counter.

Jasper shrugged it off, turning to the row of coffee machines. Grabbing a Trenta sized cup, he began fixing himself a salted caramel mocha. If he was to finish his shift with grace and poise, the largest size would do. As he went about his business, his mind could not help but wander to his earlier fantasy.

He and David were back in bed, only this time David was positioned atop Jasper. He looked positively radiant with the early morning glow illuminating him like the angel he was. Cast in a golden glow, David looked down at Jasper with half-lidded eyes and a cunning grin. The two shared a passionate kiss just as real-time Jasper took a sip of his mocha. The melding flavors worked their way into his daydream, which led to Jasper fantasizing about David tasting like caramel. As his mind wandered into a deeper, dirtier realm, the world around Jasper faded from existence and all that rang in his mind were David's words from earlier.

_"I really enjoyed our talk today." "You must be super smart-"_

If only he had said the three words that Jasper had been dreaming he would say for the past two years. If only he would say-

"Excuse me, can I please get a vanilla chai latte with a shot of peppermint?"

 _Damnit._ Jasper swore mentally. With a kind smile that hid his internal annoyance, he filled the young woman's order as quickly as he could without being sloppy. He desperately wanted to immerse himself in that dream again, no matter how unlikely it may be.

But no matter how angry he could be, the $5 tip he earned off of a $4 latte spoke made him remember exactly why he stayed working here. Besides the handsome, redheaded librarian currently restocking the shelving directly across from the café.

Jasper stared for a while, trying to look inconspicuous as he gingerly sipped his mocha. 

Yeah. Totally worth working long hours for minimum wage.

"He's gonna notice, you know."

"Am I that obvious?" Jasper asked as he took another sip.

"A little, hun." Gwen said, her voice suspiciously closer than previously. Somehow she had moved to right beside him both soundlessly and stealthily. Creepy. "He **is** cute. I can definitely see why you like him."

"Mm."

"Word of advice, for your date. Don't go all out because you don't want to overwhelm him. But don't underdo it, either."

"That-is surprisingly helpful. Thanks." Gwen lightly punched him in the arm.

"Course it is. I am a relationship wizard!" She proclaimed proudly. "Now go clean the beverage case." She tossed the rag from her apron at him, smacking him in the face.

Laughing, Jasper pried the cloth off of his face and headed over to the upright case. He opened the door and began wiping off the glass. 

3 hours left. 3 hours left and then he could spend the rest of the night lying awake in anticipation of his lunch date tomorrow. His lunch date with **David** tomorrow at The Tiramisu Warehouse.


	2. Deep Desires and Revolutionary Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper can't keep his feeling bottled up for much longer. He's losing the fight but he can't afford to slip up. Not when he could potentially lose the one person he loves most.

Opening shifts were, and in Jasper’s opinion, always would be the absolute worst shift in the world. Everything dragged out for an eternity as nothing truly needed doing until far later in the day. 

At 7:50am, Jasper trudged into the dimly lit bookstore, hating the world. He was dressed in a dark scowl, gripping tightly to a large styrofoam Dunkin' coffee with a double shot of espresso. Seven in the morning was way too early to be friendly, let alone a feasible time to memorize anything. Whose brilliant idea was it to schedule both him and Gwen to open this early anyways? Oh, right, his idiot manager. Well, that would be a decision soon regretted when the shop would be forced to close at three this afternoon. As he rounded the counter, he paused to rub at his eyes in an attempt to force the sleep away. He muttered under his breath, something along the lines of, _“Too fuckin’ early for this shit.”_

Taking his purple windbreaker off to hang it up in place of his work apron, he idled in the janitorial closet as he took a long sip of coffee. He could tell it was going to be another one of _those_ days. Checking the cracked analog alarm clock resting haphazardly on the shelf above the row of pegs, his disappointment only deepened when bright neon red numbers flashed mockingly at him, 7:53 am. Sighing heavily, Jasper slipped the top loop of his apron over his head and began fastening the ties around his waist. Time to start the day.

With Gwen not scheduled for another hour, and her history of tardiness, Jasper knew he would be more or less flying solo until nine. Going about his normal morning routine, he began filling a spray bottle with the disinfectant used to clean the counter and fixtures. Silently, Jasper covered the countertop in a thin film of bubbling white foam. Then, using a fresh rag from a split open package of microfiber cloths, he wiped off whatever dirt had accumulated overnight. Round and round in large clockwise circles, over and over until not a single remnant of foam was left behind.

Time dragged on like a child on the first day of kindergarten and Jasper could feel his soul leaving his body. Not a single customer entered the bookstore (it’s 8:15 in the morning on Saturday, who in their right mind would be out this early?) other than a few of the bookstore employees. Gwen was, as usual, late. In a futile attempt to keep himself occupied, Jasper began mindlessly sweeping the floor behind the counter. It was rather pointless but at least it provided him with some mental stimulation. Casting a passing glance at the storage closet, Jasper could see his coworkers’ aprons hanging from their respective pegs. One was neat, crisp and appeared barely worn. The other was a wrinkled wad tied to the hook. His gaze centered on the neater of the two and Jasper found himself in longing.

 _God, I miss Daniel._ He thought to himself. Typically, and mostly because it was the lighter blond’s preference, Daniel took care of the cleaning. Neither his coworkers or boss put up any fuss about it, it was simply how things were. But it was not just his tenacity for cleanliness that made him a favorite. He was quiet, kind, diligent without a doubt, entertaining to a degree with his unflappable deadpan humor and he had an absolutely frightening zero tolerance for bullshit that was both admirable and horrifying to witness. Whenever Daniel had time off, his presence was deeply missed.

“Good morning, Jasper!” An energetic, welcoming voice broke through the tension of a silent air. Pep in his step and all, David was standing on the opposite side of the counter, smiling like the sun. “Are you having a good morning?” He asked as he fidgeted with his nametag.

“Better now that you’re here.” Jasper said with a warm smile, leaning the broom against the wall. “So...how’s your morning going so far?”

“Oh, a little on the boring side, unfortunately.” David admitted, eyes averting to his feet for a split second. Curious. “I have to wait for my manager to bring in the decorations and she isn’t supposed to come in until 10. I really don’t have much to do right now.”

“Ah, so I’m a distraction for you.”

“N-No, I-” David stammered, his face breaking out into a deep red hue. Jasper laughed, setting a hand on David’s shoulder.

“Relax, bro. I’m just teasing.” He said reassuringly. David visibly relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. He looked so relieved that he did not inadvertently offend Jasper, it was actually a bit sad. It made Jasper wish he could have given David a hug to let him know that everything was alright. But if he tried that now, well, it would be weird. “So…” Jasper trailed off, trying to think of a different, better conversation. “You want a coffee, or something?”

“Oh! Um, sure!” David responded in surprise. His mind had wandered elsewhere for a second and he had been momentarily caught off guard. Jasper happily began fixing David his usual, which he had memorized, while David lingered at the counter. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he waited, hands behind his back. “A-Actually,” David piped up, causing Jasper to briefly turn his head to look his way, “I was hoping you had time to talk. I, uh, wanted to ask you something.”

“Oh.” Jasper said aloud before he could internally process what was asked of him. “Sure, not a problem.”

But it was, in fact, a problem. Caught completely by surprise, Jasper nearly dropped the cup full of steaming hot cinnamon-caramel macchiato. His mind was running a mile a minute as he finished dressing up the beverage.

What could he want to talk about? Did David somehow find out about his innermost feelings for him? Does he want to cancel their date? Maybe, maybe it’s something simple. _Maybe a change of venue, or, or he has to change the time of when he can go!_ Yes. Yes, it had to be something simple. Jasper prayed his heartbeat was not as loud as it sounded because he could barely breathe let alone think. Everything was slowing down to an amazing snail’s pace and he could barely function as he took the three steps from the station to the counter. He wore a false smile as he set the cup down with a slightly trembling hand, hoping David did not see.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” He asked not-so confidently as he walked around to the front of the counter. He watched David pick up his coffee and take a sip from it, his eyes centered on the cup itself and not on Jasper.

“I have a bit of a personal question to ask you, a-and you don’t have to answer it, if you don’t want to.”

Jasper tried not to let his face betray his thoughts but he felt his eyes grow wide in horror. Oh, shit. He was done. Discovered. Outed. _Fuck, shit, damnit-_

“N-Now, I don’t really talk about this kind of thing with anyone but, I really, really trust you.” David said softly, almost as if he was afraid of what was coming. Jasper himself was terrified. From the somber tone David suddenly took to the timid, super un-Davidlike way in which he was acting, Jasper was definitely on high alert. “I want to-have to share it with you.”

 **Oh.** Oh, this was something entirely new.

“Of course, David. You can tell me anything.” Jasper found himself saying aloud.

“I...I think I finally figured out my sexuality.” Well, that was certainly out of left field. Mildly relieved, Jasper relaxed a bit. He was safe...for now. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot and, well, after yesterday, I think I finally know what I am.”

Wait... _yesterday?_ After their unofficial first date? Did...did he awaken something in David? Does that mean-?

“Oh, David, you don’t-”

“No, I need to.” David interrupted firmly, wearing the sternest expression Jasper had ever seen. Almost instantly it softened to one of pleading. “Please, you’re the only one I want to tell. I think-well, I’m not sure-wait, n-no, I **am** sure...I’m demi-pansexual, i-if that’s a thing.” Grabbing onto his left arm for comfort, David stared at the floor. “I think it is, anyways.”

Time seemingly halted, the world standing still. The hugest, most unexpected revelation was just dumped on him and yet, Jasper felt himself being the calmest he had ever been in years. And while it was not exactly what he had been expecting, it was certainly better than being outed and rejected by his crush. But this was not about him. This was about David.

“Does...does this change anything between us?” David asked timidly, wringing his wrists in a panic. Jasper’s heart practically shattered at the sight. Poor David was so terrified of losing his best friend and over, what exactly? Of course, nothing would ever change between them! If anything, it only cemented Jasper’s love for him. He was so brave, coming out in a public place, with almost zero hesitation. Jasper would kill to have confidence like that.

“What? No, no! David, you know I’ll always be there for you, no matter what! I’ll always love you for you, nothing will ever change that.”

“Oh. Jasper!” David exclaimed through tears of joy. He threw his arms around Jasper, yanking the blond into his chest so suddenly it tore Jasper right off of his feet. 

At first, Jasper did not know what to expect, let alone think. His mind went blank the moment his face was thrust into David’s thin but oddly firm chest. Yet, the longer he was held there, arms dangling at his sides like a defunct toy, the more accustomed to the feeling he became. Slowly, he brought his arms up behind David, tightening the bear hug he had been forced into. Taking in a sharp, nervous breath, Jasper inhaled some of David’s scent. Mm, he smelled so nice, like a mix of cinnamon and warm sugar. Probably from the coffee he was drinking. Jasper could feel himself floating on Cloud 9. At long last, one of his many David-related dreams had finally come true. If only he could have kissed him, too.

Revisiting the moment, Jasper’s mind began to subconsciously replay their conversation. He ultimately ended up dwelling on his final words.

 _“I’ll always love you for you.” “I’ll always love you.” “_ **_Love_ ** _you.”_

Suddenly, the realization of what he had said settled in Jasper’s mind. He had straight up admitted his feelings for David without hesitation. FUCK, OH GOD, OH SHIT, FUCK FUCK FUCK he was **not** supposed to have said anything yet! Should have waited until lunch. Should have waited until tomorrow at the Pride-palooza. Should have waited, should have waited-! God, David was going to lose his mind over this. There goes the date, his plans for their future, everything all because his stupid lovestruck ass could not keep its mouth shut.

“Hey, Jasper, are you okay? You’re shaking a little.”

“Ah, yeah, I’m fine!” Jasper replied nervously, throwing a hand in his hair. “H-How are you?”

“A lot better now, thank you.” David smiled, his eyes still a bit bleary from crying. His nose was tinted red at the tip, dried tear streaks running down his cheeks like racing stripes. A hint of a light rose blush dusted his cheeks, highlighting his freckles. Jasper could feel his face heating up, as well as somewhere else. Damn David and his adorableness.

“Y-You’re welcome,” Jasper swallowed the lump in his throat roughly. It was only then he noticed David playing with his hand by intertwining their fingers. Tenderly, the redhead squeezed his palm, still holding that dreamful stare of thanks. Whether this was intentional or not, Jasper had no idea. Coherent thought had long since become a struggle.

Thankfully, David still had enough of a sound mind to act. Wiping at his tearing eyes, the redhead gave Jasper’s hand one final squeeze before letting go. Casting Jasper a grateful smile, he headed off towards the restrooms, mentioning something about returning shortly after. Jasper was left standing alone as he mentally short-circuited. His empty gaze was a wild mix of awestruck, dumbfoundedness and utter confusion.

Not too long after David disappeared behind a row of shelves, Gwen came into view, looking a mess.

“Sorry, sorry! Train cut me off and you know how long those fuckers can be.” She apologized in a breathless huff as she approached the counter. When she was met with silence rather than a clever quip or passive chide, she paused midwalk to see Jasper, still red in the face, staring _through_ her in disbelief. “Hey, you...okay? What’d I miss?”

Silence.

“Earth to Stone, hey-!” She snapped her fingers in his face. “Ay, yo, asshole, the fuck happened?”

“...Bro, you don’t even know.”

*************

Despite her constant nagging in his ear, Jasper debated telling Gwen anything. And it was not that he did not want to, because he really, _really_ wanted to, but it was not his story to tell. After enough persistent inquiring, he did, however, mention David giving him a really nice hug and holding his hand again, not to mention the infatuated look he had given him before walking away. Satisfied with this information, Gwen smiled the brightest Jasper had ever seen her smile since he had known her. He tried not to laugh at her fangirling over the cutesy bits, finding it amusing how invested she was. Although, he did not find her attempts at fishing for juicer details as entertaining. She even attempted to solicit information from David when he returned, which irritated Jasper far more than anything she could ever do to him. Fortunately, he was able to rescue David from a rather uncomfortable conversation. Under the guise of offering to help him decorate for the Pride-palooza, Jasper whisked David off to sanctuary.

Ironically, the two took refuge in the Romance section. It was by far the largest area in the entire bookstore and the furthest from the cafe. Not to mention that the Romance section is David’s favorite part of the store. It was his workplace safespace, somewhere other than the employee longue that he could escape to if he needed to clear his head. Ducking behind the last row of shelves in front of the back wall, the two found themselves alone with plenty of space to occupy.

Jasper took up residence in a violet beanbag, sitting down as far in the middle as he could in the lopsided chair. Thinking nothing of it, David plopped down on the edge of the beanbag, practically in Jasper’s lap. Immediately, Jasper began internally panicking because David had inadvertently invaded his personal space and while he was fine with it, he still had no idea how to process sharing space with him and _Oh my fucking God, he’s like right on top of me, what if I accidentally touch his hand or something???_

But what really got the bells ringing and whistles blowing in Jasper’s mind was when David sighed and suddenly leaned against him, resting his head on his shoulder. Jasper froze, unsure of what to do or say. What could he say? What could he even do?

Looking downwards, he could see the despondent expression on David’s face as he stared off into the void. Maybe...maybe this was his chance.

“...Hey, David?”

“Mm?”

“I…” Words failed him, like they always did whenever he tried to speak to David. “...I’m really looking forward to having lunch with you.” Eesh, that was the worst attempt yet.

“I am, too!” David perked up, the beanbag squelching as he moved. “Ooh, where would you like to sit? In a booth or at one of their little tables?”

“Personally, I like the booths. Don’t have to worry about people being seated to either side of you, knocking into you.”

“Yeah, I can see the reasoning behind that. What were you thinking of getting?”

“Trying to make me hungry, now, are you?” Jasper teased, poking David in the ribs. David squeaked at the playful jab before giggling. “Hmm...not gonna lie, I totally dig their Tex Mex eggrolls. And like the true fatass I am, I get two orders of it.” David gasped in shock.

“You are not fat!” Jasper chuckled to himself, pretending to ponder his next choice.

“Maybe I’ll get the California Cheesesteak. Really seal my arteries up for good.”

“Jasper!” David shouted out in exasperation, absolutely red with laughter. He was trying desperately to stifle his giggles by covering his mouth with his hand.

“Don’t worry, I think it comes with a side salad.”

David lost his resolve. He could not help it. Jasper’s diction, coupled with the way in which he conducted himself, it just made his jokes 1,000 times funnier. At least to David.

Tears began running down David’s cheeks as he laughed, hanging from his chin before dropping onto his clothes. A few clung to the front of his chocolate sweater vest, resembling rain on a rugged tree trunk. Quite literally bowled over with laughter, David was now laying on his back beside Jasper. His breathing was fast and ragged as he was slowly calming himself down. His right hand brushed against Jasper’s left and Jasper found the courage to hook his fingers onto David’s. His heart soared, easing some of his anxieties. Never had he felt more at home with someone in his life.

After a bit, David grew quiet again, leaving Jasper to believe he had either fallen asleep or noticed the two holding hands again. Curious, Jasper turned his head, only to be met with David staring directly into what felt like his soul. Those gorgeous jade eyes were the clearest he had ever seen them. The color was so vivid up close, had his eyes always been so...green?

“Uhh…”

“You’re really funny. I like hanging out with you.” Jasper smiled, giving David’s hand a light squeeze.

“I like hanging out with you, too.” 

With not much else to say, the room fell quiet again as the two rested together on the beanbag. A delightful little reprieve in the midst of the workday. Although, the silence was soon broken by the sudden gurgling of Jasper’s stomach.

“See, I told you you were going to make me hungry!”

David giggled, melting Jasper’s heart with his cuteness. He smiled and Jasper was smitten.

*************

Lunch had never been so stressful for Jasper before. He had to act perfectly, without so much as a wrong move. He had to speak perfectly, so no wisecracks, memery or millennial humor. He would even have to try to eat perfectly with no loud sips and using proper silverware technique. God, this was like the time he had to have dinner with the head of the Evergreen University sports department during his lacrosse days.

"Gosh, I've only ever been here a few times before and I still don't know what I want!" David joked, setting his menu down on the table. Jasper tried to hide behind his but he knew ignoring David was the last thing he would ever want to do.

"Seems to get bigger every time, huh?" He asked casually. His plan was to distract himself with meaningless conversation because he knew his mind would wander to unsavory places if he left it unchecked. "I'm dying for those eggrolls. Want to split one with me?"

"Of course! I've never tried them before, so it'll be a nice memory to make." That made Jasper smile. "Oh, would it be too much trouble to get the avocado ones, too? They sound really yummy."

"Want to get the sampler, then? It comes with Tex Mex, Avocado, Cheeseburger and I think a fourth one."

"Ooh, can we?"

"Hun, you can get whatever you want." Goddamnit, did he really just call David, "hun"?! Shit! Hopefully, David would not look too deeply into it. Gwen gets away with it for the same reason Daniel can call everyone, "love". It's their own individual thing.

"Oh, okay!" David grinned, happily shoving his face back into the extensive menu. After a few seconds, he lowered his menu again. His face spoke of concern. "You're so generous, I hope I'm not overstepping."

"You could never overstep." Jasper assured him, setting his own menu down to affirm his point. "I want to treat you and what better way than with a nice lunch? Please, get as much as you want. That's what I usually do, mostly cuz I'm lazy and don't want to cook."

David giggled, liking the royal treatment and Jasper's lenient personality. Seeing David happy made Jasper cheer internally. So far, everything was going swimmingly. He and David would be boyfriends in no time. He only had to wait until tomorrow to officially ask David out. Then he would have to face either a joyous acceptance or a debilitating rejection.

Oof. Not exactly the best scenario to envision but there is no way in hell he is going to even **think** about forcing David into a relationship. Only controlling, needy, manipulative pricks do that. Like his ex, Hannah May. What a fucking bitch.

*************

Watching David talk was like watching theatre. All the little antics he went through created a vivid image of just how animated he could become on a whim. Jasper could hardly keep pace with how fast David leapt from one topic to another. He asked lots of questions about things such as, “Ooh, what’s this sauce?” “Is it good?” “Oh, is that what the jambalaya looks like? I thought that was made with rice.” 

“Typically yes, but The Tiramisu Warehouse makes theirs with noodles. It’s kinda weird but it’s fucking delicious.”

“Can I try? I-If you don’t mind.”

“Go right ahead. Not like we didn’t order half the menu.” Jasper jested, making David snicker. The whole table was covered in dishes. Perhaps they had gotten a bit carried away but, hey, who cares?

David slurped up a few red-tinged noodles and almost immediately tried to drown himself in water.

“Spiiicy!” He gasped, fanning his tongue. Jasper shrugged. The dish never bothered him before but then again, his tolerance may be considerably higher than David’s. 

Once the heat died down, David started to hungrily eye the eggroll sampler. Jasper studied him for a bit, wondering why he did not just take whatever he wanted. Realizing David was going to need a bit of a nudge, Jasper slid the platter closer to him. He took one of the Tex Mex rolls for himself before gesturing for David to take what he wanted. Thrilled, David snatched up one of the avocado rolls and examined it closely, observing all of the contents. It looked scrumptious. Wanting to fully submerge himself in the sensations, David closed his eyes to shut off all senses but taste. He took a large bite out of the deep-fried wrapper with a loud **CRUNCH**. Pockets of flavor exploded all over his tongue. The soft, creamy texture of the buttery avocado melded perfectly with the crispness of the red onion and sweetness of sundried tomato. The savory flavors mingled perfectly upon his palette, releasing a tidal wave of umami over his taste buds. It was simply divine. Overwhelmed by the explosion of flavor, David inadvertently let out a soft little moan.

Jasper dropped the roll he had in his hand onto his little square plate.

“D-David-?” David opened his eyes, then swallowed what he had had in his mouth.

“Yeah, Jasper?”

“...Nevermind. Here, try dipping it in the green sauce.” He shoved the tiny glass cup full of tamarind-cashew sauce across the table. Excited to try a new food, David happily smothered the rest of his avocado roll in the sticky green sauce. Jasper watched in wide-eyed silence as David shoved the remainder of his roll into his mouth. Holy fucking shit. He was not expecting that.

The mixture of flavors was enriching. Culinary harmony had been achieved and his tastebuds were singing praises. Unable to help himself, David let out a second low moan of pleasure.

“Mmm...this is all soooo good!” David mumbled through a mouthful of food. He swallowed audibly, which only deepened the rather obtuse thoughts Jasper was having. “I’m so glad we did this!”

“Ditto…” Jasper mused, his voice dying off halfway through the word. Trying to distract himself, Jasper opted to slowly nurse his Pepsi, keeping his lips pressed firmly against his straw. Dear Lord, his mind was going places he did **not** want it to go and he would have to fight off each and every single one of them throughout this entire ordeal. For the love of fuck, why did David have to be so goddamn cute yet adorably dorky yet sexy all at once?

This was going to be a long lunch.

**************

Back at the outlet mall, Jasper was still halfway fazed out of reality. A mental motion picture of David moaning at the table kept replaying in his mind. Those tender pink lips puckered in a sweet kiss as he relished in the splendors of exotic cuisine. Those soft, succulent whimpers as utter bliss overcame his senses. Aggressively stirring a customer’s tea, Jasper found himself angrily wishing he could have had the opportunity to make David make those sounds. He was so much better than a fucking eggroll. Sure, he was no avocado but he had something better: abs.

Jesus, was he really getting salty over food? Good God, he was desperate.

Occasionally, he would find himself looking off towards the massive expanse of the bookstore, wondering where and what exactly David was doing. Since their return from lunch, which was taken rather early due to their schedules, the entire bookstore had become drenched in rainbow assortments. Jasper could practically smell the glitter and Elmer’s glue on the posters. It made him feel sick and for a second, he thought he was losing his mind. Since when the hell did poster glue irritate his senses so much? That kind of shit only happened to pregnant women. But then he laid eyes on David in the far right corner of the store, helping his coworker hang a banner in the windows facing the inside of the mall. Almost immediately Jasper was cured of his sensory overload. David had that effect on him. He could be ready to throw hands and all that he needed to calm down was seeing David and his sweet smile.

In the meantime, David was happily chattering about something indiscernible and his coworker would add in her own dialogue every so often. She seemed nice enough but something about the way she smiled and looked at David churned up some very vile sentiments in Jasper’s gut. It surprised him. He had never felt such visceral anger before, especially over something as petty as conversation. Geez, he and David were not even dating and he was already becoming possessive. Shaking his head to rid himself of those feelings, Jasper resumed emptying the grinder with a clearer mind. Best to stop that now before it became an issue.

At two, David stopped by to say his goodbyes for the day. Gwen wished him well, giving him a parting doggy bag of fresh bear claws and a kind smile. Jasper bumbled and buffered through a stuttery goodbye after David wrapped him in a quick embrace. Having observed her friend’s utter bafflement herself, Gwen teased him mercilessly once David was out of earshot. Grumbling in annoyance, Jasper briskly told her to “Fuck off” and went about exchanging coffee filters in the machines. Gwen stuck her tongue out at him in retaliation, knowing Jasper was only grumpy temporarily. He only ever stayed mad for a few minutes and then he would be back to normal. Or about as normal as Jasper could ever hope to become.

Soon enough, Jasper’s own shift ended and he packed up for the day. He wished Gwen a good night before leaving, hoping the emotions stirred up today would remain behind at work. But back at home, those dirty fantasies crept back into his subconscious like predators stalking their prey. They stabbed their claws into his brain, filling him with ideas and dreams that were most definitely not safe for work. Groaning over a pot of boxed mac and cheese, Jasper wanted to shove his face in the molten liquid. All this sexual tension and pining, it was getting to be too much. It was painful, feeling his chest tighten with every thought but also feeling the ache in his shorts every single time he lost his way. He had it **bad** for David.

He was dying to have David in his sweet embrace. He wanted to care for him, make him laugh, make him smile. He wanted to love David and make love to David. He wanted to see his sleepy face in the morning, hair tousled in a wild rat’s nest of red bedhead. He wanted to sleep in the same bed as David and have him pressed tight to his chest, rubbing smooth circles on his back so he could sleep peacefully through the night. He wanted to kiss each and every one of those beautiful freckles and whisper how much he loved him in his ear. Jasper was dying from anticipation but also from his own folly. He barely had the nerve to speak to David but that was soon going to change.

 _Tomorrow. Tomorrow I will make my move._ Tomorrow was the day. He was going to ask David tomorrow. He was going to take David by his gentle, freckled hands and kiss each knuckle. Then he was going to get down on his knees and beg him to consider their relationship. And when he said yes, he was going to kiss him full-on in front of everyone, work be damned.


	3. Pride and Preparedness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is the big day! Jasper can hardly wait to reveal his feelings to David but it doesn't seem like life will allow him to do so.

Sleep did not come easy that night. With his mind racing at a frantic pace, Jasper was barely able to force himself to rest. Too many wild thoughts traversed the unkempt fields of his mind, with the more desperate of situations entangling themselves in the sticky webs of doubt. Not once had Jasper ever cared about his image or his actions, living life without a single care of any outside opinion or critique. But, suddenly, he was consumed by a dark ocean of anxiousness that left him stranded far out from any shore of rationale.

The expectations that he instilled upon himself were absurdly high, but the expectations he surmised David held for him were on an entirely new level. Not only did he need to prove to David that he was worthy of his love and admiration, but he needed to prove to himself that he was not chasing a lost cause. After all that had occurred in the past two days, he had come too far to let himself be swallowed by the gaping maw of self-doubt. The undying love that he felt for the redhead was far too great. He thrived on the feeling but it also was beginning to eat him alive the longer he went not knowing if it was reciprocated. He hated, but also loved, how twisted David made him feel inside. With every word David spoke, from every gentle smile he wore, Jasper found himself drowning. Drowning in an abyss of rose petals, cherry blossoms and pink skies. Drowning in a type of affection he had never experienced before. It was honest, sincere and it felt so good to be swallowed up in the warmth it provided.

By morning, Jasper had gotten ahold of himself long enough to dress. He donned his comical graphic tee from Carly’s, chuckling to himself as he read the text, “Bi-Nosaur” while carefully adjusting his bixsexuality pin. Wanting to flaunt his spontaneous personality, he had sporadically spray-dyed his hair a mixture of magenta, violet and dark blue. He even went so far as to fluff his hair to maintain a “wild” vibe while still remaining tame, for work’s sake. Taking a seat on the edge of his bed to slip on his sneakers, Jasper paused to gaze longingly at the empty space beside where he slept. Perhaps, today it could finally be filled and he could sleep in peace for the first time in two years.

As he looped his shoelaces together, Jasper’s mind began to wander off to a world in which he was happier. He daydreamed David was here beside him, still dressed in his pajamas, as he watched Jasper tie his shoes. Playfully, the redhead would distract him with kisses, whispering in his ear,  _ “Leaving so soon?”  _ Wandering hands slipped under his shirt, gliding upwards to caress his chest. Delicately, David traced the faded scars from a past Jasper would rather forget. Pressing himself firmly against Jasper’s side, David continued to plant sweet little butterfly kisses along the back of Jasper’s neck. His hands were as light as a feather, barely gracing Jasper’s chest as David continued on.  _ “Could I have a kiss goodbye?”  _ Enticed, Jasper leaned in to meet David in the middle, but instead of a wondrous cinnamony kiss, he was met with tasteless air. Immediately, Jasper’s face flushed as he was pulled back into reality and Daydream David fading into nothing.

Falling back onto his bed, Jasper groaned in embarrassment, shielding his face with his hands. God, this was getting to be too much! What the hell was even wrong with him? Daydreaming lucidly about his coworker, fantasizing about him almost daily, he was ridiculous! And as much as he did not wish to admit it, even the most innocent of hallucinations left him feeling sorrowful and alone once interrupted. He really needed to propose a relationship to David by day’s end, else he would be set upon a path to a road he did not wish to go down.

Being alone with his thoughts was something Jasper wished he could prevent. No matter how hard he tried, no matter how loud he blared music from his car radio, he found himself being personally invaded. Some were scathing reminders of why he had been alone for so long, others were intrusive fantasies he desperately wanted to avoid. Yet some were pleasant memories of past events that he often re-lived or revisited, depending upon his mood for the day. Often trapped in the meaningless void of customer service or disassociating throughout bleak moments of the day, Jasper retreated to his inner sanctum: his memory. It provided relief in even the toughest of times, a reprieve that saved him from lashing out against the idiocy of certain customers or accidentally butting heads with his equally exasperated coworkers. The storage closet could only offer so much serenity when madness rested only feet away. And even now, as he drove across the thruway and overhead of downtown street corners and bustling city roads, Jasper was no longer actively focused on the sights surrounding him. Buildings passed him by in a blur of color, eventually transitioning into vaguely pyramid-shaped blurs of dark green. The world around him was nothing more than a whirlwind of blended colors, misshapen and malformed.

Sometimes Jasper could break free of his stupor, but only when absolutely nothing could possibly distract him from his current task. Idling at a red light, he reminisced back to early June, when he had attended the Sleepy Peak Pride Celebration alongside David, Gwen, Daniel and Kevin. It was a wild celebration, full of laughter, joy, good food and great friends. There was so much happiness to be had and everyone went about their way without a care in the world. It was wonderful to think back on how excited David had been, flaunting his pansexual pride flag-cape as he danced in the streets with both strangers and friends. He remembered how the sun glinted off of his colored shades, the lenses sparkling in the bright light. Beaded necklaces thumped against his chest as he moved gracefully about, his face alight with euphoria. In those fleeting moments, as he was spun on his heel while arm in arm with David, Jasper realized he had more than a childish crush on David. It was real, true love. Confetti fluttered about like fallen cherry blossoms, sticking to everyone’s hair, faces and clothes. He remembered how they had all begun vigorously shaking their heads and bodies to rid themselves of lingering decor. All their faces were red with jubilant hysterics, shrieking and hollering amidst the roar of the crowd. Hugs and platonic on-the-cheek kisses went all around, except between Daniel and Kevin, whose borderline physical PDA made the rest of them gag through their raucous laughter. It had been so fun, so freeing! And if it was that enjoyable then, he could only imagine what a difference it would be to attend as boyfriends.

*************

At ten of ten, Jasper casually strolled into work. Sporting a made his way over to the cafe, he took in the scenery. The bookstore was adorned in assorted decor of all things LGBTQIA+, with books discussing the topic as well as those by authors from the Pride community front and center all throughout the store. A hanging banner of all possible pride flags ran through the center of the store and across the length of the ceiling. Some Jasper recognized, others he did not. Good. He could ask around at some point, educate himself.

Walking up the steps, he waved at Gwen, who was busy handling a customer. She smiled, which was not unusual for her to do when around patrons. Yes, it could be considered a working obligation but sometimes, people who were genuinely kind to her elevated her from depressed and annoyed to bubbly and cheerful. Especially those in, around and under their age bracket. That age group was known to be gracious tippers as well as relatable. Knowing the struggles retail and food service workers go through, that age group was one even the most sullen of workers would go out of their way to treat well. Deciding it was best not to distract her, Jasper briskly walked behind her and into the storage closet. Hidden away from the prying eyes of strangers, Jasper putzed about, not really wanting to begin his workday. Too many things were occupying his mindspace to make him of any use at the counter. During his drive, he had formulated a plan on how to tactfully propose a relationship to David. While he had time to spare, Jasper quickly ran through his plot once more. Since everyone would be busy celebrating the event rather than actually working, he could easily sneak away from the cafe with both Daniel and Gwen scheduled to work today. He would skillfully navigate a conversation with David, preferably while leading him off to a secluded part of the bookstore. Then, once the coast was clear of eavesdroppers and hovering managers, he would pop the question to David. Simple! Nothing could go possibly wrong.

Except...except that  **everything** could go wrong. Horribly wrong. Terribly wrong.

No!  **NO.** No thinking like that. Today is going to be the best day ever, or at least exceptionally wonderful. He only had to work four hours; he can manage a short shift, no problem. 

_ Just breathe and go about your day like it’s any other day of the week. Like it’s any other plain Jane Sunday. You got this.  _ Jasper hyped himself up as he exchanged his sportcoat for his apron.  _ It’s just a conversation. You run your fat yap all the fucking time. David’s worth the effort, worth fighting all the possible trouble. He’s worth everything. Fuck the job, you can find another. Fuck others’ judgment, his opinion is the only one that matters. He’s worth everything. _

Taking one last look at the analog clock, Jasper let out a heavy sigh. Here goes nothing. After today, he will either end up in a loving, intimate romance or he will remain single, depressed and fundamentally alone until he dies from alcoholism.  _ Eesh, slow your role, Jasp, my dude. It’s not the end of the world. _ Steeling his nerves, Jasper balled up his fists and plastered a fake smile on his face. Another day, another possible migraine.

Exiting the janitorial closet, Jasper could hear Gwen conversing with another customer. Her tone was upbeat as she totaled the customer’s order, eagerly accepting the credit card that was handed to her. She appeared to be in rather good spirits this morning considering she had worked two hours by herself. Her polysexual pride flag was tied around her ponytail in a headscarf type fashion, with two long tails hanging down along her back. It matched well with her lavender eyeshadow and lipstick. The green of her V-neck accented her makeup artfully, bringing up past feelings Jasper often found himself suppressing. He had had a mild crush on Gwen when he had first started at the cafe but it quickly turned out that their dynamic worked best as friends. And Jasper was more than alright with that. In an effort to distract himself, Jasper took on the next set of customers: a lovely teenage couple. Ah, young love. Jasper remembered when he was their age. Confused, hormonal and angry at the world. What a time.

But even as he worked, Jasper found his stare falling back on Gwen. She was dressed tamely for today, but Jasper knew how wild and creative she could become. She was similar to Daniel in that the two of them always dressed more outlandishly for larger events. He scoffed in remembrance of the year when the two had dressed in ridiculous fashion for New Year’s in the city. Dolled up in gobs of makeup, glitter and rhinestones, the two donned an interesting ensemble that included tulle tutus, oversized faux sunglasses and fake feather boas. And ooh boy, were they a trip and a half when drunk. Their dynamic was so infectiously brilliant in that no matter where they went, it was a wild good time. In Jasper’s honest opinion, if Daniel was not gay, he and Gwen would make an unstoppable power couple and, as Gwen would say, he could ship it. No offense to Kevin, of course.

Speaking of the devil, Daniel made his presence known the moment he reached the top step to the cafe. Dressed up in a darling polo patterned with mini rainbows, because he was  **_that_ ** level of extra, slightly too tight black skinny jeans and rainbow colored Vans, the blond was by far the most vibrantly dressed. He had even gone the extra mile and dyed his hair, though it was more of a pastel rainbow than a striking vivid hue. Subtle, which was abnormal for Daniel because he could be anything but subtle sometimes.

“Gooood morning, loves! Did you miss me?” He sang theatrically as he danced up to the counter, arms out in a grand display. Behind him, Kevin facepalmed with an audible smack. Jasper could practically hear the expression on the other’s face:  _ “Goddamnit, Dan, you’re such a primadonna.”  _ Daniel danced his way behind the counter, giving both Jasper and Gwen a good morning hug. When he pulled back, Jasper could see the faintest line of sparkling glitter under the blond’s eyes. No doubt that shit was all over him now. And what was that? …  _ Vanilla? _ Jeez, maybe Kevin’s exaggerations were more truth than overreaction.

Gwen accepted her hug with open arms, grateful that Daniel was back at work. Now she could torture him more.

“Can’t exactly miss you when you’re the brightest one in the room, Rainbow-Brite. Now get your ass in gear. We got shit to do.”

*************

The remainder of the workday carried on rather quickly. But of course, when a shift consists of only four hours, it can go in one of two directions: be dragged out in a horrifically slow fashion or speed by at a frightening absurd pace. Jasper preferred the latter. Oddly enough, he saw neither hide nor tail of David all day, which was worrying because David spoke so highly of the affair on Friday. Rational Jasper proposed he was busy working while Irrational Jasper leapt onto the “<insert totally outrageous yet probable accident/happenstance>” bandwagon. Jasper decided it was best to let things be. If David was here, he would most likely turn up once given the chance. If not, he would seek him out on his own. But work needed to come first at the moment, seeing as how he was still on the clock. After all, how could he treat David to all the splendors of the world if he was an unemployed, penniless loser?

Preoccupied with cleaning out the toaster ovens, Jasper fell into a dissociative state where he was solely focused on his task and was completely deaf to whatever else was going on around him. Prying him out of it tended to be a chore in and of itself at times. And today was no different. It took Daniel five tries and a hard prod to the side of the head to get Jasper’s attention.

“Jasper~” Daniel purred in his ear as he jabbed his pointer finger against Jasper’s temple. His obnoxiously rich and overpowering vanilla scent wrapped itself around Jasper in an invisible cloud, filling the air with the lingering smell of cupcakes and plain frosting.

“What?!” Jasper unintentionally snapped at his coworker, throwing the metal rack into the sink basin. Water and soap splashed up in a miniature tidal wave, soaking the back of the sink. Raising his hands defensively, Daniel took a step back so the full heated nature of Jasper’s ugly glare was not setting him ablaze.

“Easy there, Snappy.” Daniel replied, keeping a cool head. Lowering his hands, he leaned against the back counter in front of the creamers. His previously stunned expression shifted into a leering smirk of cunning. “Thought you’d want to know you have a visitor.”

A visitor? Who the hell- 

Eyes darting towards the front counter, Jasper could see David nervously shifting his weight as he observed the exchange between the two. Gwen had a hand on his right shoulder, probably because David had immediately drawn the conclusion that Jasper’s anger stemmed from him and worked himself into a panic. Shit! Now David probably thinks he has anger issues and will be scared of making him angry and now all their interactions will be like walking on eggshells and damnit, damnit, damnit, why did he always manage to fuck up in front of David?!

“I-I’m sorry, Daniel, I-I’m not mad at you. I was just lost in thought.” Jasper apologized sheepishly. He felt like such an ass for allowing himself to fall that deep into his altered state. He was certainly lucky Daniel was perceptive and knew better than to automatically assume Jasper was actually cross with him.

“No worries, love! It’s all good.” He stepped away from the counter and up to Jasper, patting him on the back reassuringly. “Go on, then. David’s waiting for you.” He smiled with that conniving grin of his. Jasper blushed. He knew that Daniel was well aware of his crush on David. All of his friends were, except for David himself, it appeared. 

Quickly, Jasper hurried into the storage closet to hang up his apron and clock out for the day. He was unaware of whether or not David still had to work, but he was not about to prolong his own workday for a moment. Gathering his belongings, he shuffled past both Daniel and Gwen as he joined David at the counter. He bid his friends goodbye, waving to Kevin, who had been hanging out at a bistro table left of the service line for the majority of the day. Kevin simply nodded, sipping a can of Red Bull like he was sampling fine wine. 

He knew. They all knew.

*************

As it turned out, David had also been scheduled for a short shift and the two were officially off the clock. The two headed out to the parking lot towards their cars, walking hand in hand. Jasper never mentioned it to anyone but he thought it was cute how David always made an attempt to park beside him. David’s navy blue Hyundai Ioniq, an electric car of course, because David made it very clear he hated how gasoline emissions pollute, shimmered in the sunlight in comparison to Jasper’s trashy yet sturdy vibrant orange Jeep. It made leaving work a lot less mundane. And it seemed David was more than happy to leave work, which was an interesting yet welcoming change. Excited to finally have an ample amount of time to spend with one another, David launched an in-depth conversation about all the fun things the two could do together. Jasper walked alongside him, happily adding in his own thoughts and opinions while simultaneously trying to work out when would be the best time for him to enact his plan. While David continued to talk, Jasper only now got a good look at his outfit.

He wore a nice green long sleeve flannel underneath a light brown cloth vest that had an emblem of the pansexual flag handstitched onto it. Several pins were attached to the top of the vest, including a large novelty pin that read, “Pan and Proud :)” Another, large novelty pin read, “I didn’t come out of the closet. I came out of the cabinets, like all other pans.” Jasper loved that one. It was a bit out of character for David to have but it brought him happiness and that was all that mattered.

“So, what would you like to do first?” David asked. Jasper drew a blank, realizing that he was now standing in front of his Jeep. Not only had he not been paying attention to the last few bits of the conversation but now he was stuck in a compromising position. If he did not answer, David would know he was not listening. If he answered too quickly or with something unrelated, it would cause even more problems. Well, fuck.

“Well, I, uh, had been thinking that maybe, i-if you want to, we could go rollerskating? Get some pizza, some soda, watch each other fail hilariously.” He offered with a cheesy grin. He was grasping at straws, hoping to convince both himself and David of the idea. The more he thought about his proposition, the more he liked it. Yeah, he could definitely spin this as a romantic date. If David had a slip up, he could dive right in and quite literally sweep him off of his feet. Maybe even steal a kiss. And at the very least, he could get away with holding his hand by playing it off as helping him keep his balance. Yeah, that could work. But now that threw a second wrench in his current plan. Already he had lost out on courting David in a remote part of the bookstore, he could not bear to mess up this future plan. If he acted quick enough and with enough thought and precision, he could scavenge what remained of his plan. Although...rollerskating rinks were a little too crowded for Jasper’s liking. Not everyone who ventured in would be as accepting as those from the bookstore. And that was a scenario Jasper would much rather avoid.

“Oh, that sounds delightful! I’d love to!” David exclaimed, already in love with the idea.

“Hah! Okay!” Okay. Okay. Quick, new plan! New plan!

“I think it’ll be fun!” David continued on, talking in a whimsical tone. Already his heart was fluttering with excitement. Rollerskating, how exhilarating! “I’m not too good but I’m sure that after you teach me, I’ll be a master in no time! So, when would you li-”

“Hey, David?” Jasper cut in. Looking to Jasper with avid curiosity, David hummed in thought, putting his thoughts on pause. “Sorry to interrupt but, uh, I-uhm, be-before we go, I, uhh, have something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh, of course, Jasper! So, what’d you want to ask me?” David asked, twisting the hem of his flannel between his thumbs. All coherent thought stuttered to a halt. Unsure of what to say or how to phrase his reply, Jasper ended up staring off into the space over David’s shoulder, mentally searching for the right words. When he was met with no response, David’s enthusiasm began to waver. “Jasper…?”

_ Ah, fuck it. I’ve waited long enough. _

Not wanting to waste a second more, Jasper closed the gap between him and David. David’s eyes widened in surprise as Jasper’s lips were suddenly on his. He squeaked out in shock, one foot moving back to steady himself in case he decided to run. However, Jasper was not about to let that happen. Tenderly, he slipped his hands on either side of David’s head to gently run his fingers through his lovely red hair. Never had he thought he would ever get to experience bliss such as this!

By now, David had relaxed into Jasper’s arms, fully embracing the unexpected connection. His arms slowly came up over Jasper’s, his hands resting on the other’s broad shoulders. His hold was loose yet still firm, like he could not bear to let Jasper go but did not dare want to seem needy or possessive. David straightened himself, no longer bent over in fear but standing tall with a renewed confidence. He was into it! He was into Jasper! He reciprocated! He loved him! He wanted to be with him! Breaking the kiss, the two slowly came to terms with what they had just endured.

“...J-Jasper…?”

“D-David, I-I, uh, I-” Jasper stammered, his confidence having been zapped down to zero in a matter of minutes. “-I...I love you. Like,  _ love you _ love you, a-and I’ve been dying to ask, would you, i-if you want to, be my boyfriend?”

David deadpanned at Jasper and for a moment, Jasper began to wonder if David truly did reciprocate his feelings or if he had merely played into the moment. But then his expression softened and all of Jasper’s sudden worries faded into nothing.

“Oh! Well of course, Jasper, but, ah, I thought we were already boyfriends?” David asked quizzically. Suddenly, Jasper was the one at a loss for words. He opened his mouth to respond but no sound came out. He sputtered for a few seconds before he finally managed to squeak out a response.

“... **What** .” His face flushed in a panic. Did he hear that correctly? Did-did David just say, just admit that he thought they were dating?? Together?? A couple??

“Wasn’t yesterday our third date?”

“Wh-when were the first two???” Jasper demanded, feeling both embarrassed and exasperated. His heart was pounding almost as fast as his blood pressure was rising. How long had he gone unaware of this? How much heartache had he endured under the guise of unreciprocated love? How long could he have had David in his home, living with him, caring for him, loving him?  _ How long could I have been eating real fucking food for?? _

“Oh! I thought our first date was at Pride, and our second was when we got pretzels!”

_ I FUCKING KNEW THAT WAS A GODDAMN DATE!!  _

Oh, he was  **so** angry. Absolutely fuming at himself for not following his intuitions and allowing himself to doubt their connection for even a second. He was an idiot, an idiot!!

“If it matters at all,” David’s gentle voice cut in as he took both of Jasper’s hands in his, “my answer is still yes.”

Tears pricked at the corners of Jasper's eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. He let out a nervous chuckle, still confused but pleasantly elated. The timid smile he wore never faded, not even as he gingerly broached a subject he thought he would never get to address.

"Do you, I-I mean, w-would you like to, uh, have dinner with me tonight? At my apartment? Y’know, after we go rollerskating."

David smiled, still holding onto Jasper's hands.

"I'd love to."

"Cou-can I kiss you again?" Jasper asked unsurely, still reeling from the unexpected revelations dropped on him. But he had nothing to fear because David was here to reassure him of it all. The redhead smiled sweetly, a light laugh breaking the tension.

"I'd love nothing more."

And so they kissed once more and with far more passion than the first. This time, David initiated the kiss. It was far less sudden and far more intimate. He pressed their lips together in a gentle kiss. Jasper’s hands caressed his cheeks and pulled him in deeper. David melted into it, letting Jasper manipulate his body in whatever fashion he so desired. If he wanted to bring him in closer, he would allow it. If he wanted to move his arms around his waist, he would allow it. All Jasper wanted was David and all David wanted was Jasper. It felt so good to finally be together. Their love was undeniable.

Breaking the kiss one final time, Jasper laid eyes on David’s handsome face. He loved how his freckles practically glimmered in the sunlight and whenever he blushed, they stood out like stars against the night sky. And looking into his eyes, he could see the lovestruck expression painting David’s face. The shine in those lovely jade eyes illuminated the gentle spirit within. Jasper could hardly resist kissing him a third time but he needed to have control.

Although, if David wanted him to let go of his inhibitions and lose his control, he would be more than willing to do so. After all, everything he would ever do would be for David.

*************

Throughout the entire car ride to the roller rink, Jasper could not help but be absolutely floored about his new relationship. He giddily gripped his steering wheel, trying not to let his foot on the gas pedal sink to the floorboards. Yeah, his plans had gone as completely planned but the end result was still the same. He tried to plan as meticulously as possible. He worked up the courage to confess to his crush. And now his crush was his boyfriend! The kindest, most considerate, loving, handsome, adorable, dorky man in the world and he was all his! They had kissed, almost three times! Three times was  **_way_ ** more than Jasper had ever anticipated he would ever get out of David. He had even settled for only holding hands but this, this was wonderful! This date was going to be amazing, he was certain of it!

Two years worth of pent up emotion, two years of staving off affections and fighting off unfulfilled dreams, were finally released. Jasper could finally know inner peace. His heart was content and his mind at ease. He was ecstatic that he could invite David into his home. He had been dying to live out his domestic fantasies: sharing a bed, snuggling on the couch while watching movies late at night, taking long hot showers together, reading over grocery flyers, cooking David breakfast every morning and dinner every evening. He wanted to do it all and now he finally could. David was  _ his _ boyfriend now, his to love, his to cherish, his to protect. He was his entire world, he had been for two years, and now he would be his world for many years to come. Tonight was his chance to make an astounding first impression by cooking David a lovely homemade meal. Already running through several potential meals, Jasper tried to conjure up the perfect array of dishes based on David’s likes and dislikes. Italian was a little stereotypical and cinematic but it was definitely worth keeping as a backup. Maybe Mexican? Dabble in a little Chinese?  _ Wait, isn’t David partially Irish? _ He could make him a traditional Irish dinner!

And Jasper would make it the best damn dinner David ever had. He just had to go to the store first.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment or hit me up on my Tumblr, https://dominusfero.tumblr.com/ , and let me know what you think Jasper should make for David for dinner.


	4. A Date to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jasper and David are officially together and Jasper wants to make certain that he can make each and every moment memorable.

Jasper went into the roller rink with zero expectations for their date. All he wanted was to have a fun time out with his boyfriend. Roll around holding hands, eat some drippy, greasy cardboard pizza, slurp a soda or two and maybe make out during the couples’ skate. That was all, he was not looking for much.

Like a good boyfriend, he laced David’s skates for him, taking care to make sure the loose ends did not entangle themselves in his wheels. As it turned out, David had not gone skating since he was ten. Jasper wondered why but he felt like he had no room to question it. If David had a private reason for not doing something, who was he to push? When it came time to get to his feet, David began having second thoughts on participating.

“I-I-I don’t know, Jasper, I’m not so sure I can, uh, stand-um, skate with these.” David stuttered as he wobbled. The lack of fixation on the ground had him thrown for a loop. Nervous as he tried to balance himself on jelly legs, David clung to Jasper like he was the last man on earth. Unsteadily he swayed until the slight curve of the floor rolled one foot over the other and David nearly bottomed out on top of Jasper despite him holding him firmly in place. Panicking, David immediately began regretting his decision and started to cry out. “Take ‘em off, take ‘em off! I-I don’t-...I-I changed my mind!”

“Hey, hey! Easy, babe, I gotcha. I won’t let you fall.” Jasper reassured, not paying attention to his own words. He wanted to put David at ease as fast as possible. “I gotcha, I gotcha.” Moving directly to David’s right, Jasper held him in an upright position. Slowly, David became accustomed to the feeling of weighted feet and the two made their way to the floor, albeit at a snail’s pace.

The pair went around four times, pressed side by side as David learned the rules of the rink. On the fifth round, Jasper gave David a little leeway, not letting go altogether but letting him drift a ways away so he could feel like he was skating on his own. David thrived, falling into rhythm very quickly. Jasper beamed, moving in carefully so he could press a congratulatory kiss to David’s cheek.

“See? You’re doing great! I’m so proud of you!” David’s eyes glowed with a passion. He was skating! He was skating!

Suddenly, David’s legs bowed and came out from under him, his body dropping towards the hard, unforgiving wooden floor. But Jasper held fast, firmly gripping onto David’s arms as he supported him. He would not dare let him fall.

Dazed and confused from his near spill, David could only stare off into the wildly lit darkness of the arena. Eyes wide from both shock and terror, his chest pumped as his gaze rose to meet Jasper, who looked down at him with concern.

“You alright?” David nodded furiously, swallowing roughly. Now he remembered why he never went roller skating. He hated looking like a fool much less falling on his ass in front of tons of people. Gathering his nerves, he found the courage to thank Jasper for catching him, relieved that someone as strong and as caring as him was there to break his fall. Jasper smiled, thankful David was alright. Unfortunately, his inner goober found the need to show itself. “Well, I guess you could say that you’ve... _ fallen for me _ ?” Jasper smiled with a wide cheesy grin. David deadpanned at him for what felt like an eternity, his face slowly scrunching up in disgust at the horrible pun. Oh God, what had he gotten himself into?

“J-Just, drop me, please.” He huffed, a bright blush dusting his cheeks.

*************

Dinner, however, went far more swimmingly than Jasper could have ever imagined. David ate heartily, asking for seconds and even thirds. All the while Jasper watched in amazement. He had only just now used that recipe, never having attempted it before. Throughout the entire cooking process, he had internally prayed it came out edible. He lived in fear of a horrid first attempt at impressing David, much less embarrassing himself from failing to cook what was essentially an easy dish. Timidly, he served David a heaping plate, per his request. Sweat beaded on his temple as he sat, watching David sample his food, too afraid to even try his own. At first he thought David may have been acting polite and refused to let him know just how horrid his cooking was but as the redhead devoured his meal, Jasper realized he may have been assuming the worst. With a trembling hand, Jasper shoved his spoon into his food and raised it to his lips. It smelled divine but smells could be deceiving. Surprisingly, it tasted good. Really good. Huh. 

David paid him compliments throughout the entire meal, praising Jasper for his culinary concoction. Of course, the compliments never stopped flowing, not even after the two had eaten their fill and began cleaning up their dirty dishes.

“Mm, that was delicious, Jasper!” David marveled, reminiscing about the savory wine-braised lamb and the delectable caramelized crunch of a nice, evenly baked, golden potato crust. He could eat bowl after bowl of that lovely shepherd's pie. Some of the ones he had had back in Westport did not amount to the one Jasper had lovingly made for him. And to put in the effort to handpick a traditional dish from his home country? He almost swooned at the thought. “Are you sure you’ve never worked in a professional kitchen before?”

“Not even once, babe.” Jasper proudly boasted, hands on his hips as he posed triumphantly in front of the open dishwasher. 

At first, when he had accidentally let the pet name slip out at the roller rink, Jasper nearly died of a heart attack. He had been absolutely mortified. Was it too early for cutesy nicknames? How would that even make David feel? Would he hate it? Would he hate  _ him _ ? But David simply laughed off Jasper’s flurry of apologies, admitting he really liked the new name. Now, Jasper had enough confidence to spice up any sentence with it and he would wholeheartedly beat a conversation to death with it. He had briefly debated calling David, “pumpkin” but that did not really suit his phonetic style. And in any case, it sounded too feminine in a way and a bit unsuitable for David. But maybe someday he would try it out, just in case.

“You should consider it.”

“Hah, I could never work in a real kitchen.” Jasper laughed ruefully as he shook his head. He loaded a few more glasses into the top rack before slapping the door to the dishwasher closed. “Too many bosses, not enough cooks, ya know? Besides, I’d rather cook for you~”

“Ooh, aren’t I lucky?”

There was a brief silence as David watched Jasper program the dishwasher. He was hovering a bit, looking over Jasper’s shoulder as he pushed the buttons on the machine. Chuckling, Jasper pushed the start button and then turned to David. Eyes half lidded, he knew what his boyfriend was waiting for. He cupped his cheek and pulled him in. Their lips met, igniting that fantastical spark that made the two always go back for more. They melted into it as one set of arms wrapped around a waist while the other rested on a set of shoulders. Hearts fluttered and soared. Every connection was like discovering an expensive gemstone. It was unique in its own right but would also be equally treasured now and forever more.

Breaking the kiss just as the dishwasher began to loudly hum, the two took a moment to gaze lovingly into one another’s eyes.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

*************

After tidying up the disaster in the kitchen, which may or may not have involved  _ someone _ getting a little too hot, spicy and handsy because  _ someone  _ was trying to pin him against the counter only for his butt to slip off of the granite, sending both of them and an avalanche of kitchenware onto the floor. Through raucous laughs and joyful tears, the two cleaned up before deciding it was best to retire to the living room for the evening. Settle down, watch a movie. Kill some time before bed.

Jasper claimed his seat on the overstuffed tan couch first, tossing an arm over the head of the couch as he propped himself up against the arm. He assumed David would take the other side, making sure to leave him ample space to lounge in. However, David readily sat down in Jasper’s lap, nonchalantly resting his body against his boyfriend’s chest. No invitation, no inquiry, he simply did it. His boldness struck a chord with Jasper, his face breaking out in a heavy flush. He could feel his soul leave his body the moment David laid against him. Ascending to a higher plane of existence, thriving on the domesticity of a paired life, living in unity. A life long awaited and oh so deserved. He no longer had to dream of what it would feel like to love another. He could finally experience it firsthand. Eagerly, he wrapped David up in a warm embrace, trying desperately to not act like an excited puppy about ready to pee the carpet. Feeling David’s weight, his real, physical weight was what truly drove it home for Jasper. This was not imagination at play, this was not a lucid fantasy. This was reality. David was physically here.

It felt so nice to be able to hold David at last, to keep him safe in arms. And it seemed David felt the same. The redhead wiggled into place, firmly settling against Jasper while nuzzling his face into his chest. Jasper’s fingers played with David’s hair and he could not help a little kiss atop his head. Having him here, in his arms, finally together made any form of affection far too irresistible. Grinning in content, David watched the old claymation Halloween movie play on the television while enjoying Jasper toying with his hair. It was amusing how well their bodies fit together, like two fragile halves of a whole glass heart. David could not ask for a better evening, Jasper simply could not imagine one. Neither of their homes had ever been this loving or relaxed, not even when the two lived by their lonesome. David had already made up his mind that he could stay right here on this couch forever, completely content. Jasper had long ago decided that he would always readily join him.

Jasper shifted, laying with his head on one of the decorative pillows, and David readjusted himself so that he laid atop Jasper. Smiling to himself, Jasper wrapped his arms around David and hugged him tightly, pressing quick kisses to his cheek and neck. David giggled, enjoying being the center of attention. None of his prior relationships ever had him receiving any of the love, only giving it. Whatever lingering anxiety he may have had melted under Jasper’s warmth. His firm chest was soft in a way that it was comforting and his steady heartbeat was music to David’s ears. Jasper stroked his cheek and rubbed their noses together playfully. Eskimo kisses were always his favorite to give. A gesture so simple yet it spoke volumes about their relationship. Whenever he looked into David’s eyes, he found himself lost in a sea of vivid green and falling ever faster into the depths of an inescapable love. And he never wanted to find his way out.

“Hey, David?”

“Mm?”

“Thank you.”

“For what, Jasper?”

“For being here. Being my coworker, my best friend, my boyfriend. Probably my husband someday, too. Just...thank you.”

“My pleasure.” David responded softly, letting his hand fall to his side. His gaze trailed to Jasper’s lips, lingered, then flicked up to meet his eyes again. A silent question hung in the air. He then leaned just the slightest bit forward and that was enough. Jasper kissed him. Long and sweet. One of the best kisses David ever had. He melted into it, deepening it.

He wished he could stay in this moment forever.

*************

The smell of bacon and browning butter roused Jasper from a deep sleep. At first, he had no idea what to think other than perhaps he left a window open and someone in a neighboring apartment was cooking breakfast. He scratched the back of his head, squinting through the bright morning light peeking in from beneath slightly lifted blinds. Supporting himself with his left hand pressed flat into the mattress, Jasper felt the plush firmness of his bed which immediately confused him. He had no recollection of when he fell asleep last night nor did he recall even sleeping at all. The last thing he remembered was the highly intoxicating kiss he shared with David while watching an after-dinner movie. Mm...David. Smiling and ready to dish out some good morning kisses, Jasper turned to his side to greet David only to be met with a twisted mess of sheets and blankets. The pillow still retained the imprint from an occupant’s head but Jasper was left befuddled.

Jarred from his dreary state by the lack of his boyfriend, it only then dawned on him that the person cooking was most likely David. Throwing the blankets and sheets aside, Jasper practically flew out of bed, excited to have his first breakfast with his boyfriend. At least, he tried to until a swarm of uneasiness coupled with a pounding headache nearly knocked him on his ass.  _ Oop, shit, stood up too fast...holy fuck, that hurts.  _ Hand pressed against the wall to steady himself, Jasper pinched his brows as he mentally forced the pain away. He stood there for a moment, swaying slightly. Then, once the pain dissipated, he realized he had not a single article of clothing on. 

Oh shit, what  **_had_ ** happened last night?

Utterly baffled by events unknown, Jasper putzed about his bedroom in search of something to wear. Digging around in his rickety old dresser, he pulled out a pair of faded retro-patterned violet boxers. The zany electric yellow and cyan designs hurt his eyes to look at, having just woken up, but he loved the eccentricness of the design. Shrugging off his half-assed attire, Jasper rubbed his eyes with his fists before slowly making his way to the kitchen.

David was standing over the stove, wearing what looked like nothing else but the oversized 90s soda cup hoodie Jasper kept hanging on the back of his bedroom door. His “emergency” super-hoodie, a full three sizes too big but perfect for lazing about on the couch. It hung on David’s slender frame like a dress and it was adorably cute. Turning away from the pan of eggs he was scrambling to slip some toast in the toaster, the redhead perked up when he laid eyes on Jasper in all his bedheaded glory.

“Oh, good morning, Jasper! I hope you don’t mind but I made us some breakfast!” He greeted cheerily, pushing the lever down.

“Why would I mind?” Jasper smiled, approaching David from behind to slip his arms around his waist. “Other than you stole my job.  _ I’m _ supposed to cook for  _ you _ , ya know.” Leaning in, Jasper pressed soft butterfly kisses to David’s cheek, making him giggle at the fluttery sensation. “Mm, so...stealing my clothes now?” He asked with a purr in his voice.

“It was so cold this morning!” David exclaimed in defense, knowing Jasper really did not care at all that he swiped his hoodie. “I’m still cold.” He added in a small, pouty voice as he turned off the heat for the eggs.

“Oh, well, let me warm you up.”

Gently, Jasper pulled David tight against his bare chest, resting his chin on his thin, bony shoulder. He hummed in pleasure, covering David’s hands with his as he crossed them against his chest. The two stood there relishing in domestic bliss as they waited for the bacon to finish in the oven, which was clever on David’s part as baking bacon eliminated grease splatter. All was quiet and still with nothing more than the faint sizzle of the bacon and the wondrous smell of maple-cured pork to sully the silence. Jasper sighed in delight, satisfied with the life he was now sharing with another. If every morning was going to be as wonderful as this, he hoped he lived for a thousand years or more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll leave what happened after the movie up to interpretation. ;)
> 
> All I will say is, the boys are happy, living and loving one another and nothing will ever change that. Canon who? Sorry, don't know them.


End file.
